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The Order of Fenris
The Order of Fenris The Order of Fenris is Lordaeron's equivilant of Stormwind's Brotherhood of the Horse, The Order of Fenris was however far older than the Brotherhood of the Horse. History Foundation & The Bandit War During the crumbling of the mighty empire of Arathor, chaos ensued in the human lands. The people now divided we're ravaged by bandits, and the newly formed 7 Kingdoms, vied for power and land. Lordaeron, the largest of the new Kingdoms, continually lost engagements with their neighbors, the land of Lordaeron was simply too vast an area, and so their forces we're spread too thinly to mount a proper defence. It is during this period that soldiers on horseback became a solution and to further protect the land, Lordaeron established a large millitary outpost on the Dawning Isles, Fenris Keep. The Dawning Isles position, right in the middle of Lordaeron's aggressors, Gilneas and Alterac, made it ideal politically and with the added protection of the lake, made it a huge strategic point to hold. The Island Keep simply could not be sieged, and after countless attempts to seize the Isle, Alterac and Gilneas dared not attack Lordaeron again. 800 Years before the Orcs would set foot on Azeroth, Lordaeron fell into a state of chaos when its millitary was weak. Bandits formed large war-clans and fought one another for territory, the Capital City was sieged and the monarchy overthrown. During this time, the then Commander Anicus Terimidias of Fenris Isle set out to remedy the situation, weilding the blade Archstrike, he became the father of Lordaeron's knighthood, devising cunning strategies and techniques for rooting out and destroying the Bandit Clans. When Anicus succeeded and restored Order, along with the Monarchy, The new King rewared Anicus with the title of Lord. Anicus and his ancestors were granted ownership over the Dawning Isles and Fenris Keep. To memmorialise the efforts of Anicus, his blade Archstrike was incorporated into the nations banner, replacing the spiked pole. Anicus decided to form an Order of Knights from those who had fought with him, the Order of Fenris. Henceforth the Lord of Fenris Isle would lead this order, weilding the blade Archstrike, and thus the Order of Fenris was created. The Order also had underground tunnels built below the island, which lead to various points in Central Lordaeron. These tunnels we're far superior to water travel and far quicker. It allowed the Knights to respond to any situation in rapid time. Over time, the Order began to welcome skilled fighters from all over Lordaeron into its ranks, tournaments were held to find and recruit these fighters and so the Order became the most respected group of warriors Lordaeron had to offer. The Second War 800 Years later, During the Second War, The Order of Fenris was crippled and divided when Archbishop Alonsus Faol offered the Order to dissolve itself and become part of the new, Order of the Silver Hand, and take up the hammer of Paladinship. Maelan Terimidias, the Lord of Fenris Isle, accepted the offer. But when he approached his fellow Knights, About half of them refused, including his own son, Araxamas Terimidias. Maelan surrendered his title as Lord of Fenris Isle, to his son, He along with his supporters left to join the Silver Hand, while Araxamas and those left remained behind. From this point onwards, Araxamas lead the order against the Orcish Horde, The Order went on to fight in all the theatres with the exception of Quel'Thalas, The Knights spent the war acting as spear-heads of the human assaults, and incredibly useful units for flanking the orcish lines. Despite the Order of Fenris's enourmous contribution to the Second War, the people of Lordaeron had simply forgotten about the once glorified Knights in wake of the new Paladins. The Order of Fenris was humiliated at the Victory Parade in Capital City, when the crowds hardly cheered at all in comparison to their Paladin counterparts. The Aftermath Araxamas banished all Paladins from Fenris Isle in outrage. He decided to show the Kingdom that they still needed the Knights, by commiting The Order to capturing all the remaining orcs in Lordaeron, and despite clearing almost every Orc from Central Lordaeron, The People had simply moved on. When the Orcs rallied and escaped from their camps, when Durnholde was burnt to the ground. The Order of Fenris was there to respond, able to round up many orcs, but unable to stop Thrall and his Exodus West. Araxamas and the Order of Fenris we're ready to move on the biggest Orc threat yet, The Blackrock Orcs hiding in the Alterac Mountains. But upon requesting the permission to enter Alterac, King Terenas decided to send his son Prince Arthas and Lord Uther to deal with the situation. Even the King had deemed the Order, 'ops elite'. The Third War When the Plague errupted in the Northlands, Araxamas by this time, had simply had enough. He didn't 'jump' at the oppertunity for the Knights to be recognised again. They we're exsausted and by this time they we're also tired of proving themselves. When a messager from King Terenas arrived at Fenris Isle, requesting him to rally the Knights, he sent the messenger back, telling Terenas to send the Paladins instead. Terenas did, He sent his Son, Prince Arthas to investigate the Plague....the news of the severity of the Plague eventually reached Capital City, and Uther himself was sent to Hearthglen to assist. Araxamas still did not move. Then one day, a messenger came, detailing the suspension of the Silver Hand... This was it, Araxamas thought. This was their time. The Order of Fenris rallied, The Knights headed North to deal with the Plague. To Defend their nation when the Paladin's couldn't. When they arrived however...there was nothing left to defend. They we're too late to save most of the villages. They fought their way through infested village after infested village, determined to find survivors. But there were none. Then they found Tyrs Hand. Tyr's Hand had became like a Home to many Paladins, It was the Church-City of Lordaeron, and was the place many, if not all, Warriors went to find the Light and become Paladins. The City was barely holding its defences when Araxamas arrived. He did not hesitate to send his Knights in to defend the City, as he was not doing it for ''them ''but he was doing it for the people inside, the innocent citizens of Tyrs Hand. The Defenders were dumbfounded, they had been expecting Paladins, and when the group arrived they considered the fall of the city. But it didn't fall. The Knights far exceeded the skill of the Paladin defenders, and when the City was safe and the Paladin reinforcements had arrived, The Order of Fenris left. The Order returned to Fenris Isle, Araxamas was going to address the Chamber (King Terenas & His Ambassadors) of the severity of the threat, and suggest a new Alliance of Lordaeron be formed to combat it. It was decided to wait until after Arthas's returning parade. This would prove a fatal mistake. When Capital City burned, the Survivors fled to the safest place they could think. The impenetrable Fenris Isle. The Knights hesitated opening the gates for a momment, looking down on the wounded, defeated Paladins with a strange sense of satisfaction. If it we're not for the countless civillians with them, they might have simply told them to heal themselves. The Cremation of King Terenas was held on Fenris Isle. Lord Uther, who was amongst the survivors of Capital City, stocked up on men and resources and left to bait Arthas out with the ashes in Andorhal. He hoped to end Arthas once and for all, and almost all the Silver Hand joined him in the operation. Except Maelan. Araxamas's Father had also survived, and for the first time since the split, The whole Order of Fenris was together again. Paladins and Knights. Maelan sought to repair the vast hatred Araxamas had harbored for him and the Paladins...with little success. For a time the Knights operated as an evacuation force. They would go to a town, safe civillians, bring them to Fenris Isle. And then from there they would go to Dalaran, and onto Stormwind, Kul'Tiras, etc. They saved many lives. It was eventually discovered Uther and the entire force of Paladins that joined him, had perished before Arthas and his Scourge. The Fall of Fenris Isle It was no mistake Fenris Isle was the most fortified and most difficult place in all of Lordaeron to assault. The Scourgewe're but a mindless mob of undead, and with Arthas invading Quel'Thalas, there was no huge invasion force that could challenge the Keep. The Dreadlords who remained to command the Scourge in the nowRuins of Capital City , decided to seek out other means of entry to the Island, whispering to a promising young mage, manipulating his dreams and convincing him of the power of Necromancy and the Scourge. Thule Ravenclaw was this mage, He had been assigned to the Isle by the Kirin Tor to oversee the evacuation of Refugees to Dalaran. To achieve this, Araxamas had reluctantly taught Thule about the ancient tunnels under the keep, which had streched far into Tirisfal Glades, Silverpine and Alterac. It was these tunnels the Knights had used all the long to out manevour not only the Orcs, but Bandits and other enemies to the nation for generations. Thule gave this information to the Dreadlords who discovered the secret tunnel entries in Tirisfal and sent swarms of undead inside... In the dark hours of the morning the finest knights and paladins of Lordaeron fought the Undead who poured like water into the Keep from its various tunnel access points. Araxamas ordered the Isle evacuated but many died before they could even lift a blade, the vicious dreadlords had planned the attack in the cover of night while many in the keep slept. Araxamas lead what men he could to the docks where he realised they could never set sail before the Undead over-ran them. His father Maelan knew this also, imbuning himself with Holy Fire, striking at the Undead with all his might, His Paladins joining them as they sacrificed themselves to buy Araxamas and what remained of the Keep, time to flee. The Scarlet Crusade Araxamas and his men sailed to Dalaran, hardly any of the Footmen had survived compared to the still sizeable group of Knights. There many had heard of Jaina's expedition west , and some of Araxamas's Knights broke off to join the venture. Many however chose to stay with Araxamas, who chose to travel to Andorhal and search for other survivors like them. What they found suprised them, A whole group of Survivors, The Scarlet Crusade, erecting the Tomb of Uther the Lightbringer. They travelled to the Scarlet Monestary where Araxamas met the new Highlord of the Scarlet Crusade, Alexandros Mograine . Araxamas became the Knightlord of the Scarlet Crusade and was to lead several squads of elite, Scarlet Crusade Knights. He and Alexandos planned for hours on how they would Re-take Capital City, reclaim Lordaeron and purge the Undead. He put aside his hate for the Paladins, the Undead had broken their golden pride Araxamas had hated for so long, and for once he actually hated something else even more, The Undead. This didn't last long. The Dreadlord Balnazzar secretly brought down the Order from within, not wanting the Scarlet Crusade to become the effective fighting force it would be, He had Alexandros killed, betrayed by his son Renault....Araxamas would come next. Saidan , the caretaker leader after Alexandros's Death who was also Balnazzar in disguise. Instructed Araxamas and his Knight squads to purge the town of Ambermill in Silverpine. When they arrived however, they we're greeted by Kirin Tor Mages. When he returned empty handed to Saidan, he was accused of treason. Balnazzar maniuplated one of his Knights to testify that the town had indeed been plagued, and Araxamas was shamed by the Crusade and sentenced to Death. Araxamas would vanish at the stage of his Execution, not to be seen again... The Knights who knew the lie, left the Crusade and went their seperate ways. Some joined the Alliance, some ventured to Theramore to join their brothers who had left with Jaina initially. Some we're still in the Crusade, some joined the new Argent Dawn, and others, Like Araxamas, went their own way. Reformation A few years after Araxamas was sentenced to death by the Scarlets, he re-emerged in a state of self-exile in the ridges above Venomweb Vale. It did not take long for members of the Argent Dawn including Captain Mira, and Xion Hearthem who had been a Lieutenant in the Order, to find Araxamas and convince him of his duty to fight the Scourge once again. Araxamas prepared letters, sending them out to all the corners of Azeroth, calling for the summons of the Order. Knights who had fled to Stormwind, Theramore, Kul'Tiras and to the Argent Dawn rallied and joined Araxamas over a number of weeks, forming The Order of Fenris once again. War in Tirisfal Their first task was reclaiming Abagail Shrine, following a brutal siege of the Crimson Legions holdings inside. With the Shrine retaken, the Knights pursued their quest of combating the Scourge, thwarting many of their plans and schemes before they decided to pursue the Scourge on the Dawning Isles. Taking an old Manor on the Isles as their base of operations, the Knights conducted many missions hoping to disrupt the Scourge's activities on Fenris Isle. This quickly drew the attention of the Isle's Lord. Maelan Terimidias, now Death Knight of the Scourge. Maelan and Araxamas soon encountered one another, both determined to find victory. Araxamas was all but defeated, and would have died if it had not been for his long lost Wife's timely arrival, though once Maelan had injured her, it sent Araxamas into an undescribable fit of rage, in his anger, he dispatched the great Lord of the Scourge with ease. Burning his body and buring the Ashes on the shores upon which he had been slain. Though it would not be the end. The Knights were forced from the Isles soon after, returning to Abagail Shrine. It did not take long before Thule Ravenclaw produced another dark lord of the Scourge, and so it was that their former comrade Gregor Harvoc became the new Deathlord. After Disrupting the Argent Dawn, and attempting a mighty assault on Abagail Shrine, Gregor Harvoc was slain also, by Araxamas's second in command, Xion Hearthem. Who had been raised by the Scourge, but managed to regain his free will. The Knight's knew better than to think it over however. Xion would dishonor the Knights and be cast out, though he would not be alone for long. Anicus In the rain, on the decaying fields of Xion's old Family Farm. The Death Knight pondered his options. Now outcast by his brothers, and not welcome anywhere. There was little he could do. Until, a blood red Deathgate opened, and he was greeted by the new Lord of Fenris Isle. Cloaked in a red shadow, this Lord had been risen with the most supreme Necrotic energy that Xion had ever seen....The dark Lord offered Xion a place in the Scourge, in which Xion accepted. It would not take long for the figure to reveal himself as Anicus Terimidias, the First Knightlord. Raised by Thule Ravenclaw to finally end the Argent Dawn and the Knights of Fenris. And so, after a bitter assault on Honor's Retreat, Anicus was forced back, and Xion captured, and sent deep into the Shadowlands for his betrayal. It would not be the end. The Dawning Isles With Anicus on the run, it was time to return to the Dawning Isles. There, the Knights discovered their Manor burnt to the ground. So they took refuge in the ancient Knight Hall. Attempting to disrupt the Scourge, the Knights soon faced Anicus again. In a scuffle, Araxamas's daughter, Dawn, was stabbed by Anicus. Consumed with Grief and Rage, Araxamas became disconnected and the Order of Knights was without direction. Though Dawn later recovered. This was not the only issue that emerged on the Isles. Several members of the Argent Dawn had also made their way to the Isles, and one of them, a Goblin, decided to steal a ring from Maelan's grave. It would come to be a dire mistake, as the dark spirit of the former Lord emerged for in anger, attacking the Argents, almost slaying them had it not been for the human paladin Dasmond who was able to purify the Ring and return the spirit to rest. The Goblin who stole the ring had been killed, but Maelan's spirit felt much guilt for his actions. Now purified, the spirit of Maelan Terimidias used the last of his spiritual essence to revive the Goblin, before fading into the Light. The Forsaken had not been blind to the activity on the Isles however and sent many Dark Rangers to investigate. As Louisea Terimidias killed them, it made the Banshee Queen become consumed with grief and anger, launching an attack on the Isles herself. The Knights could not stand to a full Forsaken assault, and left the Dawning Isles with Haste, although Louisea was captured by the Forsaken in the chaos.... Hillsbrad The Knights would flee their home Isles to Hillsbrad Foothills. The local populace, emboldened by the emergence of Lord Araxamas, began to volunteer to join him, so that they may Reclaim Hillsbrad, and drive off the Syndicate. First, the Knights rescued the Magistrate of Southshore after he was captured by the Bandits, on the same mission they learned Araxamas's wife had been kidnapped and taken to Purgation Isle. They were able to rescue her, but Araxamas emerged severely injured. It would be up to his Daughter, Dawn, to continue leading the Volunteer Force, who were able to lay siege to Tarren Mill with the assistance of the Kirin'Tor and Silver Covenant. After that they headed into the Alterac Mountains, where they sought to end the Syndicate and free the peoples of Hillsbrad. Strahnbrad and the Ruins of Redbridge were simultaniously layed to waste, the Warlocks of the Argus Wake revealing their master weapon, a Death Knight of the same make of the First Generation. Laying waste to the Knights in his path, this Death Knight, Dandred, practically won the day for the Syndicate. Until the Knightlord returned from his Injuries, and felled the beast. Thunder looms on the horizon, the rain pelts on Lake Lordamere. Fenris Isle stands, shrowded in green light and shadows. Swords raised, spirits in swing, the Knights prepare for the final battle to come....